Helen Schneyer Memorial Scholarship Program

(Awarded annually)

Opportunity for Folk Music Lessons!

In an effort to encourage the next generation of folk musicians, the Madison Folk Music Society has established The Helen Schneyer Memorial Scholarship to fund folk music lessons of the applicant’s choice.

Two scholarships of $300 in lessons per year will be awarded annually, to be paid directly to the folk music instructor of choice. Budding folk musicians of all ages are encouraged to apply!

Guidelines for Recipients:

• The Scholarship is for lessons only.
• You will need to find an instructor who is willing to take you on as a student and is capable of helping you reach your musical goals, and inform the instructor that you will be prepaying an agreed amount up $300 in one two or three installments.
• Contact Mad Folk informing us where to direct payment (name and address) and the details of your lesson arrangement.
• Enjoy your lessons! We request that you complete the use of all scholarship funds within 18 months of the award date.

Apply:

The short application can be downloaded/printed and filled in by hand, or you can fill it in the PDF on your computer. Return by email or by U.S. mail (addresses are shown on the form).

Application Form

Applications will also be available at Spruce Tree Music.

Applicants should identify the folk music teacher with whom they wish to study when applying; scholarships will be paid in advance, directly to the instructor.

Deadline: March 1

Winners will be notified by March 15 and officially announced/presented at a Mad Folk concert.

Background

The scholarship is named in honor of the late great folk singer Helen Schneyer, who has played memorable house concerts in Madison at the home of her sister, Madfolk member Mona Wasow. Helen Schneyer was known for her renditions of lugubrious ballads, work songs, African American spirituals and Baptist hymns, which she sang, among other places, on Prairie Home Companion, at the White House at the request of Eleanor Roosevelt, and in Mona Wasow’s living room. She shared the stage with many of America’s best-known folk singers and songwriters, including Woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger, who urged her at an early age to sing.

More...

Upon Helen’s death on July 16, 2005 in Vermont, Mona’s colleagues from the UW Madison School of Social Work took up a collection in her honor, which Mona contributed to the Madison Folk Music Society. The funds were initially used to bring Ed Trickett to Madison for a Spring, 2006 Memorial concert, at which contributions were added for an additional memorial.